One Crowbar, One Countdown, One Life
by 630leosa
Summary: Why hasn't Batman come to his rescue? He knows that he's going to die, but he doesn't care. It'll be worth it, because he belives that his life will be the last that the Joker will ever take.


_They say the first hit is the worst._

_Whoever said that has never been beaten to within an inch of their life with a crowbar._

_The first hit catches you by surprise, sending you stumbling backwards._

_By the second hit you're expecting it. Your whole body tenses in anticipation, even though you know that's the worst thing to do._

_You grit your teeth and ride the wave of pain from the third hit with barely a sound._

_The fourth hit echoes with the sound of broken ribs, forcing an agonised scream from your lips._

_The wall is broken; the brave front you've been putting up crumbles into pain and fear._

_You wonder if anyone's going to help you - if your dark knight will be able to save you this time._

_But even your thoughts give way to the pain._

_Sadistic laughter sends chills though your spine as you fall helplessly to the floor._

_But you still try to get up, refusing to believe that this is the really the end._

_You've lost count of how many bones are broken, and every hit seems to strike a serious injury._

_But you still believe that he'll come and save you... Like he always has._

_It's the only thing that stops you from giving in to the blackness threatening to take over your mind._

_The crowbar swings down towards your head and you're powerless to stop it._

_For a moment it seems like it's over. The darkness takes you and you feel yourself slipping._

_You feel your eyes opening a minute later. You're still alive, but hope is slipping away. Your whole body is numb and you barely register the painful blows anymore._

_Why hasn't he come yet? He's always been there to save you._

_The crowbar falls to the floor beside you. The sound seems to get louder as it echoes through your aching head._

_The white face of your enemy is no longer smiling; he looks bored and disappointed. A split second later he aims a sharp kick to your stomach._

_Your body doubles up, trying desperately to get oxygen to your aching lungs._

_He laughs again: that chilling, sadistic laugh that you know you'll never get out of your head._

_He's talking but you don't register the sound of his voice, just the mocking smirk that accompanies it._

_You watch as he walks away, still taunting you as he goes._

_Once the door is closed you try to get up. It takes time, but you eventually manage to drag yourself along the wall towards the door._

_Locked. You're not surprised, but you had to try._

_Using what little strength you have left, you turn to find another door on the opposite side of the warehouse._

_As you drag your broken body towards the door you think you can hear a clicking sound._

_It doesn't matter; this is your only hope of escape._

_The image of your dark knight fighting with your attacker in your mind is the only thing giving you the strength to carry on._

_As you reach for the door your legs collapse beneath you, no longer able to support your weight._

_You manage to catch the handle as you fall, revealing the small room beyond._

_A small window is left half-open and swinging from the wind outside, but that's not what you focus on as you force your eyes open._

_You instantly recognise the device that's counting down in front of you._

_You notice the window, but know that there's no time to escape in your condition._

**1 minute, 10 seconds.**

_You close your eyes and accept your fate._

_He's not coming._

**60 seconds.**

_The slow ticking of the bomb seems to lull you into a calm surrender._

_You always thought that he'd be there to save you._

**52 seconds.**

_Even if he'd tried to save you now, it was too late._

_There's no chance of survival this close to the bomb._

**40 seconds**

_And for some reason you smile._

_You always knew that this life was dangerous._

**32 seconds**

_When you die, he'll take your murderer with you._

**20 seconds.**

_Your death will save thousands of lives._

**15 seconds.**

_Does he even know you're about to die?_

**7 seconds.**

_Did he even try to save you?_

**_3 seconds._**

_Your death will save lives._

**1 second.**

_Your death will be worth it._

**_…_**


End file.
